By Gage Wilson
For Glasgow News 1
The Glasgow Independent Schools Board of Education reviewed the district’s latest state assessment results during Monday’s meeting, spotlighting areas of growth while acknowledging subjects where student performance falls short.
The presentations, which occupied much of the roughly two-and-a-half-hour meeting, included results from the 2025-26 Kentucky Summative Assessment and the state’s school accountability system released last week. Highland Elementary, South Green Elementary, Glasgow Middle School and Glasgow High School each received an overall yellow rating, the middle of Kentucky’s five-color accountability scale.
South Green Elementary received an overall accountability score of 68.1, while Highland Elementary earned a 63.99. Glasgow Middle School received a 59.7, and Glasgow High School earned a 69.05.
The scores were calculated using several measures of performance and school outcomes, rather than representing the percentage of students who passed their assessments. The state also uses different scoring ranges for elementary, middle and high schools.
At Highland Elementary, the overall score declined from 67.4 the previous year, although the school maintained its yellow rating. South Green performed above the statewide elementary average in reading and mathematics, earning a 73.3 in that category compared with the state score of 65.2.
Glasgow Middle School reported declines in its reading and mathematics indicator, which fell from 65.6 to 63.2, and its combined science, social studies and writing indicator, which declined from 62.9 to 60.2.
At Glasgow High School, reading and mathematics remained relatively steady, increasing slightly from 64.5 to 64.7. However, its combined science, social studies and writing indicator declined from 49.0 to 46.7.
The high school also reported improvement in postsecondary readiness, an indicator measuring how well students are prepared for college or careers after graduation. That score increased from 97.5 to 100.25.
Districtwide subject results revealed additional challenges, particularly at the high school level. Only 19% of high school students scored proficient or distinguished in science, while 25% reached those levels in social studies. More than half of high school students scored at the novice level in both subjects.
However, longer-term comparisons showed improvement in several areas. Over five years, elementary writing proficiency increased from 31% to 47%, while middle school writing rose from 40% to 53%. Middle school social studies proficiency also increased from 31% to 42%.
Throughout the presentations, principals acknowledged areas where their schools could improve and discussed efforts to address weaknesses identified in the results. Several noted that more detailed plans for improving student performance would be included in the district’s improvement plan later this year.
Board member Barrett Lessenberry questioned whether schools could identify areas of academic weakness midway through the school year, allowing educators to address problems before year-end assessments.
Supervisor of Instruction Tara Martin explained that the district uses i-Ready, an assessment tool that helps educators monitor student progress and estimate how students might perform on state assessments.
“It gives a projected proficiency score but it is not an exact science,” Martin said.
Board member William Thornbury spoke on the board’s role, which is to provide policy and direction rather than dictate how educators approach their work.
“We’re not here to micromanage you, we’re not professional educators,” Thornbury said. “I think that if that’s the intent that comes out of this dialogue that’s the wrong intent.”
The district also reported that 54% of incoming kindergarten students were considered ready for kindergarten, compared with 72% of students who had attended preschool.
The assessment results come as Kentucky prepares to make changes to its school accountability system. Beginning with the next school year, the state will remove school climate and safety and the current combined writing assessment from its accountability calculations.
More detailed strategies for addressing academic weaknesses are expected to be outlined in the district’s improvement plan later this year.
Key Facts:
• Glasgow Independent Schools’ Board of Education reviewed new state assessment and accountability results at its Monday meeting.
• All four district schools received overall yellow ratings on Kentucky’s five-color accountability scale.
• South Green Elementary scored 68.1 overall and outperformed the statewide elementary average in reading and mathematics.
• Highland Elementary scored 63.99 overall, down from 67.4 last year but still in the yellow range.
• Glasgow Middle School reported declines in reading and math, and in combined science, social studies and writing indicators.
• Glasgow High School saw steady reading and math results and gains in postsecondary readiness but declines in science, social studies and writing indicators.
• Only 19% of high school students were proficient or distinguished in science and 25% in social studies, with more than half at the novice level.
• Elementary and middle school writing proficiency and middle school social studies proficiency improved over the past five years.
• District leaders plan to include more detailed strategies in the upcoming district improvement plan.
• State officials are preparing changes to Kentucky’s accountability system beginning next school year.
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